NBA Futures Betting Odds

After stopping play on Wednesday March 13, 2020 due to the global coronavirus pandemic, the 2019-20 NBA regular season is expected to resume on Friday July 31 from Orlando, Florida.

Instead of 30 teams, the league is only inviting 22 teams to Florida with 13 from the Western Conference and 9 from the Eastern Conference. All teams will play eight games to finish the regular season before a 16-team postseason begins soon after. It's expected that 88 regular season games will be played before the playoffs and the last possible day for the NBA Finals would take place on Monday, October 12, 2020.

Odds to win 2020 NBA Finals

NBA Futures Odds Betting Market

Odds To Win 2020 NBA Finals (11/12/20)

Team

American

Fractional

Decimal

Los Angeles Lakers

+250

5/2

3.50

Milwaukee Bucks

+250

5/2

3.50

Los Angeles Clippers

+333

33/10

4.33

Houston Rockets

+1200

12/1

13.0

Boston Celtics

+2000

20/1

21.0

Toronto Raptors

+2400

24/1

25.0

Denver Nuggets

+2500

25/1

26.0

Miami Heat

+2700

27/1

28.0

Philadelphia 76ers

+2700

27/1

28.0

Utah Jazz

+2900

29/1

30.0

Dallas Mavericks

+3600

36/1

37.0

Brooklyn Nets

+6000

60/1

61.0

Oklahoma City Thunder

+10000

100/1

101.0

Indiana Pacers

+10000

100/1

101.0

New Orleans Pelicans

+12000

120/1

121.0

Memphis Grizzlies

+21000

210/1

211.0

Portland Trail Blazers

+21000

210/1

211.0

San Antonio Spurs

+21000

210/1

211.0

Orlando Magic

+25000

250/1

251.0

Phoenix Suns

+25000

250/1

251.0

Sacramento Kings

+25000

250/1

251.0

Washington Wizards

+25000

250/1

251.0

NBA Finals Future Odds Analysis
Lack of Homecourt Edge Should Even Playing Field

Beyond seeing how effectively teams handle getting back into the swing of things following a layoff of over four-and-a-half months, it remains to be seen how the lack of a homecourt advantage affects teams going forward. One of the reasons the Milwaukee Bucks were such a threat to win their first NBA title since the 1971 was that they had established a tremendous edge at the two-year-old Fiserv Forum, where they’re 61-11 in regular-season play. That 28-3 record the Bucks compiled in Milwaukee serves to pad the league’s best record, but won’t serve them anymore going forward.

Oddsmakers certainly take the homecourt edge into account when setting lines and futures, so the handful of points the host typically gets going into a game goes out the window. NBA games will now feature more of a summer-league feel. Not the Las Vegas Summer League, either.

With Orlando hosting games in a bubble setting at Disney’s Wide World of Sports, only officials deemed necessary to get the games played are expected to be in attendance. Fans won’t be chanting defense down the stretch. Referees won’t be swayed by 20,000 boos raining down on them.

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It’s interesting that oddsmakers didn’t really budge off the Bucks, L.A. Lakers and L.A. Clippers in setting odds on who will win an NBA title in a season that will feature a COVID-19 hiatus of over 140 days. The Finals were scheduled to have started on the same day teams ratified a return to action. While those teams will still be led by the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard, the drastic changes that lay ahead for all 22 teams included in this restart probably evens the playing field more than the current odds have accounted for.

The Rockets odds’ have been adjusted some since they were at 20-to-1 at some shops on March 11. Houston was arguably the biggest beneficiary to getting such a lengthy pause button since their small-ball approach was going to physically tax stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook if they had closed out an 82-game grind. The Philadelphia 76ers should be more of an x-factor and saw its payout decreased from +4000 to +2700 since young standouts Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons will now be healthy enough to lead the way. Both were nursing injuries three months ago.

The Nets went from +10000 to just +6000 due to the possibility that Kevin Durant returns after rupturing his Achilles in the 2019 Finals. He may continue to sit and join Brooklyn’s active roster for the 2020-21 season, but sportsbooks have taken measures to limit potential losses if he decides to change course and takes the court in August.

Odds to win 2020 Eastern Conference Finals

NBA Futures Odds Betting Market

Odds To Win 2020 NBA Eastern Conference (10/20/20)

Team

American

Fractional

Decimal

Milwaukee Bucks

-180

5/9

1.56

Boston Celtics

+700

7/1

8.0

Toronto Raptors

+800

8/1

9.0

Miami Heat

+850

17/2

9.5

Philadelphia 76ers

+900

9/1

10.0

Indiana Pacers

+2900

29/1

30.0

Brooklyn Nets

+4200

42/1

43.0

Orlando Magic

+10000

100/1

101.0

Washington Wizards

+12000

120/1

121.0

NBA Eastern Conference Odds Analysis
Bucks Should No Longer be Heavy Favorite in East

Although the Bucks have a nearly insurmountable lead on their closes Eastern Conference competitor in the chase for the top record and No. 1 seed, not having a homecourt edge diminishes the value of being top dog. For that reason alone, there’s no value at all in riding Milwaukee as such a chalky favorite (-180). The Bucks were a -250 choice to win the East when games came to an end. At the moment, paying more than even money to win the conference given the new neutral atmosphere isn’t advisable.

The Boston Celtics (+700) had dropped four of six entering the hiatus and were attempting to overcome injuries in March, so they could benefit if Jayson Tatum is able to pick up where he left off. The Raptors (+800), Heat (+850) and 76ers (+900) are deep and talented enough to Milwaukee, which should make the final two rounds of the Eastern Conference playoffs awfully competitive.

The potential return of Durant makes Brooklyn a potential threat, but a more viable longshot is the Indiana Pacers, which will have a healthier Victor Oladipo in place since he just returned in late January after a broken kneecap cost him over a full year of action.

Odds to win 2020 Western Conference Finals

NBA Futures Odds Betting Market

Odds To Win 2020 NBA Western Conference (10/20/20)

Team

American

Fractional

Decimal

Los Angeles Lakers

+165

33/20

2.65

Los Angeles Clippers

+190

19/10

2.90

Houston Rockets

+700

7/1

8.0

Denver Nuggets

+1000

10/1

11.0

Utah Jazz

+1200

12/1

13.0

Dallas Mavericks

+2000

20/1

21.0

Oklahoma City Thunder

+3500

35/1

36.0

New Orleans Pelicans

+6500

65/1

66.0

Portland Trail Blazers

+9000

90/1

91.0

Memphis Grizzlies

+11000

110/1

111.0

San Antonio Spurs

+13000

130/1

131.0

Sacramento Kings

+19000

190/1

191.0

Phoenix Suns

+21000

210/1

211.0

NBA Western Conference Odds Analysis
L.A. Teams Continue to Reign as West Favorites

The Lakers (+165) are a slight favorite over the Clippers (+190) as a result of carrying a 5.5-game edge in the West into this restart, but the difference between the No. 1 and 2 seeds in the conference have been truly mitigated by the drastic changes required to get up an running again. Outside of potentially avoiding a team like the Rockets (+700) that might be scary given their fresh legs, there’s truly no difference between being seeded first or second.

Houston is actually running fifth behind both L.A. teams, the Nuggets (+1000) and Jazz (+1200) but benefits greatly from the time off. P.J. Tucker will now have renewed stamina to work with in serving as the team’s undersized small-ball five while Harden and Westbrook, two guys who perennially top the league’s usage stats, are expected to come in fresh. Harden looks to have gotten himself into phenomenal shape.

Among longshots, the Pelicans (+6500) are going to be a popular choice if Zion Williamson has been working on his body and game since he had been limited by minutes restrictions aimed at responsibly starting his pro career a few months ago after early knee trouble. The Trail Blazers (+9000) will get big men Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins back to aid their playoff push. With Damian Lillard at the controls, they’ve got better odds than the Grizzlies (+11000), currently seeded eighth.

How to Bet on NBA Futures

Betting on the NBA is widely popular in the United States and the NBA Futures Odds market continues to cater to both novice and professional bettors. The NBA championship is decided very June with a best-of-seven matchup known as the NBA Finals.

This Future Odds market is open year-round and the oddsmakers will adjust their numbers when trades, injuries, free agent signings, or other changes affect the NBA championship odds. The opening odds come out at the end of the current season or just after it ends, with NBA Future Odds posted on all 30 teams in the league.

Betting on NBA Futures may not always provide big payouts due to the nature of the league, where dynasties are often created by player movement in free agency. However, betting on the right team early can provide better results, as seen in 2019 when the Toronto Raptors won with +1850 odds to win the NBA championship in August 2018. Compare that to the +750 odds the Raptors had in December 2018 and you can see how the NBA Futures odds could offer less value as the season progresses and the player talent is on display.

The NBA Finals futures betting market takes in the most volume of wagers and money at sportsbooks but there are other wagering opportunities in the NBA Futures market.

Bettors can wager on:

NBA Conference Winners

Eastern, Western

NBA Division Winners

East
Atlantic, Central, Southeast

West
Southwest, Northwest, Pacific

The sportsbooks also offer up NBA Futures Odds on specific player awards, usually just for the Most Valuable Player and the Rookie of the Year. These wagers are a little tricky since those bets and their results are based off subjectivity. Both awards are determined by votes from sports writers and we all know that everybody has an opinion.

2020 NBA Finals Odds to Win

There are several good bets to win the NBA Playoffs in 2020. The current odds to win the NBA Championship today are:

Lakers: +250

Bucks: +250

Clippers: +333

Rockets: +1200

Celtics: +2000

Raptors : +2400

Nuggets: +2500

Heat: +2700

76ers: +2700

Jazz: +2900

Sportsbooks are still accepting bets on who will win the NBA Finals in 2020, despite the season currently being suspended indefinitely. If the season resumes, this could perhaps offer some value for teams with higher odds, as the shortened season and disruption in team chemistry could create a more even playing field than we've seen in previous NBA Playoffs.

NBA Finals Odds

In the offseason, opening odds are posted on all 30 teams to win the NBA Finals and those numbers are adjusted as the regular season begins based on the opinion of bettors. The key to cashing a big ticket and locking in a return on the NBA Finals Odds is not easy but with the right homework, you can forecast ahead and take a shot with a team that may have started slower than others.

Injuries, suspensions, trades are also key factors in the NBA Finals Odds and that’s just in the regular season. When the playoffs begin and the matchups are set, you’ll see sportsbooks tweak their Future Odds because one team may have an easier path on paper than others.

After the NBA Playoff field of 16 is dwindled down to two teams in the NBA Finals, oddsmakers will use American Odds on the matchup. The American Odds is often thought of as a Money-Line or in this example below, it would be called the NBA Finals Odds Series Price:

How do I bet on the NBA Finals?

Every sportsbook offers NBA Future Odds on the NBA Finals and depending on when you place your wager will determine your possible payout. All you have to do is bet on the team that you believe will win the NBA Finals and lock your money in until the result is official. You’ll receive the fixed odds at the time the wager is placed and collect if you win. Visit our list of legal online sportsbooks in the United States for more information on where you can place NBA bets.

To figure out your Win Amount, take the odds and multiply by the amount wagered.

Ex. Los Angeles Lakers (3/1) to win the NBA Finals.

In the above NBA Futures Odds example, the Lakers are listed as a 3/1 betting choice to win the NBA Finals. If you wager $100 on Los Angeles to win the NBA Finals and it captures the championship, then you would win $300 (3 ÷ 1 x 100). You would collect $400, which includes your win and stake ($100).